arXiv subjects

Alexi Block Gorman

Publications and source records attributed to Alexi Block Gorman.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

O-minimal open core is not an elementary property

Given a structure $\mathcal{M}$ with a definable topology, its open core is a structure defined on the same universe whose language consists of all open sets of all arities definable in $\mathcal{M}$. In response to questions raised by Dolich, Miller, and Steinhorn in their early work on open core, we prove that having an o-minimal open core is not an elementary property. In particular, we construct an expansion of the structure $(\mathbb{Q},<)$ that has an o-minimal open core, but some of its elementary superstructures do not.

math.LO↗

arXiv2026

Sequential densities of rational languages

We introduce the notion of density of a rational language with respect to a sequence of probability measures. We prove that if $(μ_n)$ is a sequence of Bernoulli measures converging to a positive Bernoulli measure $\overlineμ$, the sequential density is the ordinary density with respect to $\overlineμ$. We also prove that if $(μ_n)$ is a sequence of invariant probability measures converging in the strong sense to an invariant probability measure $\overlineμ$, then the sequential density of every rational language exists for this sequence.

math.DS↗

arXiv2025

One-sided Hom shifts

We prove that it is decidable whether a one-sided shift of finite type is conjugate to a one-sided Hom-shift, and whether a tree-shift of finite type is conjugate to a Hom tree-shift. The proof uses Williams's theory for one-sided shifts

cs.FL↗

arXiv2025

Sparse regular subsets of the reals

This paper concerns the expansion of the real ordered additive group by a predicate for a subset of $[0,1]$ whose base-$r$ representations are recognized by a Büchi automaton. In the case that this predicate is closed, a dichotomy is established for when this expansion is interdefinable with the structure $(\mathbb{R},<,+,0,r^{-\mathbb{N}})$ for some $r \in \mathbb{N}_{>1}$. In the case that the closure of the predicate has Hausdorff dimension less than $1$, the dichotomy further characterizes these expansions of $(\mathbb{R},<,+,0,1)$ by when they have NIP and NTP$_2$, which is precisely when the closure of the predicate has Hausdorff dimension $0$.

math.LO↗

arXiv2025

A Dichotomy for $k$-automatic expansions of Presburger Arithmetic

Let $k\ge 2$ and let $X$ be a subset of the natural numbers that is $k$-automatic and not eventually periodic. We show that the following dichotomy holds: either all $k$-automatic subsets are definable in the expansion of Presburger arithmetic in which we adjoin the predicate $X$, or $(\mathbb{N},+,X)$ has the same definable sets as $(\mathbb{N},+,k^{\mathbb{N}})$.

math.LO↗

arXiv2022

Companionability Characterization for the Expansion of an O-minimal Theory by a Dense Subgroup

This paper provides a full characterization for when the expansion of a complete o-minimal theory by a unary predicate that picks out a divisible dense and codense subgroup has a model companion. This result is motivated by criteria and questions introduced in the recent works concerning the existence of model companions, as well as preservation results for some neostability properties when passing to the model companion. The focus of this paper is establishing the companionability dividing line in the o-minimal setting because this allows us to provide a full and geometric characterization. Examples are included both in which the predicate is an additive subgroup, and where it is a multiplicative subgroup. The paper concludes with a brief discussion of neostability properties and examples that illustrate the lack of preservation (from the "base" o-minimal theory to the model companion of the expansion we define) for properties such as strong, NIP, and NTP$_2$, though there are also examples for which some or all three of those properties hold.

math.LO↗

arXiv2022

Fractal dimensions of $k$-automatic sets

This paper seeks to build on the extensive connections that have arisen between automata theory, combinatorics on words, fractal geometry, and model theory. Results in this paper establish a characterization for the behavior of the fractal geometry of "$k$-automatic" sets, subsets of $[0,1]^d$ that are recognized by Büchi automata. The primary tools for building this characterization include the entropy of a regular language and the digraph structure of an automaton. Via an analysis of the strongly connected components of such a structure, we give an algorithmic description of the box-counting dimension, Hausdorff dimension, and Hausdorff measure of the corresponding subset of the unit box. Applications to definability in model-theoretic expansions of the real additive group are laid out as well.

math.LO↗

arXiv2021

Pathological examples of structures with o-minimal open core

This paper answers several open questions around structures with o-minimal open core. We construct an expansion of an o-minimal structure $\mathcal{R}$ by a unary predicate such that its open core is a proper o-minimal expansion of $\mathcal{R}$. We give an example of a structure that has an o-minimal open core and the exchange property, yet defines a function whose graph is dense. Finally, we produce an example of a structure that has an o-minimal open core and definable Skolem functions, but is not o-minimal.

math.LO↗

arXiv2020

Continuous Regular Functions

Following Chaudhuri, Sankaranarayanan, and Vardi, we say that a function $f:[0,1] \to [0,1]$ is $r$-regular if there is a Büchi automaton that accepts precisely the set of base $r \in \mathbb{N}$ representations of elements of the graph of $f$. We show that a continuous $r$-regular function $f$ is locally affine away from a nowhere dense, Lebesgue null, subset of $[0,1]$. As a corollary we establish that every differentiable $r$-regular function is affine. It follows that checking whether an $r$-regular function is differentiable is in $\operatorname{PSPACE}$. Our proofs rely crucially on connections between automata theory and metric geometry developed by Charlier, Leroy, and Rigo.

cs.LO↗

arXiv2020

Pairs of Theories Satisfying a Mordell-Lang Condition

This paper proposes a new setup for studying pairs of structures. This new framework includes many of the previously studied classes of pairs, such as dense pairs of o-minimal structures, lovely pairs, fields with Mann groups, and $H$-structures, but also includes new ones, such as pairs consisting of a real closed field and a pseudo real closed subfield, and pairs of vector spaces with different fields of scalars. We use the larger generality of this framework to answer three concrete open questions raised in earlier work on this subject.

math.LO↗

arXiv2016

The density of primes dividing a particular non-linear recurrence sequence

Define the sequence $\{b_n\}$ by $b_0=1,b_1=1, b_2=2,b_3=1$, and $$b_n=\begin{cases} \frac{b_{n-1}b_{n-3}-b_{n-2}^2}{b_{n-4}}&\textrm{if}~ n\not\equiv 0\pmod 3, \frac{b_{n-1}b_{n-3}-3b_{n-2}^2}{b_{n-4}}&\textrm{if}~ n\equiv 0\pmod 3. We relate this sequence $\{b_n\}$ to the coordinates of points on the elliptic curve $E:y^2+y=x^3-3x+4$. We use Galois representations attached to $E$ to prove that the density of primes dividing a term in this sequence is equal to $\frac{179}{336}$. Furthermore, we describe an infinite family of elliptic curves whose Galois images match that of $E$.

math.NT↗

arXiv2015

Nil-good and nil-good clean matrix rings

The notion of clean rings and 2-good rings have many variations, and have been widely studied. We provide a few results about two new variations of these concepts and discuss the theory that ties these variations to objects and properties of interest to noncommutative algebraists. A ring is called nil-good if each element in the ring is the sum of a nilpotent element and either a unit or zero. We establish that the ring of endomorphisms of a module over a division is nil-good, as well as some basic consequences. We then define a new property we call nil-good clean, the condition that an element of a ring is the sum of a nilpotent, an idempotent, and a unit. We explore the interplay between these properties and the notion of clean rings.

math.RA↗